“I will never point the finger. That’s not me. That’s not my career. That’s not Jabari,” Parker told the Tribune. “My Dad taught me better than that. I’m a God-fearing man. I would never bash somebody. I’ll tell you what I think is the truth. But making it personal and telling lies is not me and will never be me.”

Parker hasn’t played for [eight] straight games, a shocking and well-documented demotion for the Bulls’ premier free-agent signing. This obviously isn’t how Parker envisioned his homecoming playing out when the former Simeon High star signed a two-year, $40 million deal with a team option that won’t be picked up.

League sources indicated that teams interested in Parker are asking the Bulls to take on bad, long-term contracts. As of now, that’s a non-starter for the Bulls, who structured Parker’s deal the way they did for a reason.

“Honestly, I just want to play,” he said. “I’ve stayed ready. I want to play meaningful minutes — not 4 minutes and nothing for the rest of the game. I just have to wait for that chance and opportunity. There’s a bigger picture here, so I’m staying prepared and patient.”